To Live
by FarPastTheClouds
Summary: Narumi's life revolves around protecting & caring for Naruto Uzumaki. He was all she cared about until she stepped into the shinobi world & began the trek through the triumphs & losses in the sometimes cruel reality called life.  OC Story. R&R Please! C:
1. Chapter 1

**Hiya! So, this is the very first chapter of a test fanfic I'm trying out for my Naruto OC, Narumi Maboroshi. This is a brief introduction, and I'm hoping it will make her purpose clear. She is NOT really Naruto's sister. xD I'll keep writing until.. Oh, the fifth chapter maybe? If it's doing well then, I'll continue for sure :D If I do, please expect blood, language, and maybe some other stuff..**

**But for now, please enjoy this special preview! :D lol**

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Chapter 1: Beginning

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~~~ _Narumi_

.

"Wake up, Narumi."

The first thing she felt when she awoke was the warmth of cloth against her tiny body. She inhaled the scent of shampoo and felt hair tickling her forehead as her chin tilted upwards. Where was she? The child couldn't remember at the moment, too occupied with snuggling against the back of whoever it was was carrying her along.

Who was it again?

"Narumi? C'mon, kiddo. We're here."

Ah, yes. That strange man with the decorated mask.

Her eyelids lifted lazily, showing a hint of lime green orbs that were rimmed with gold. She looked upwards past her deep red fringe, spotting a head of very dark aquamarine hair. Her eyes traced the outline of the man's jaw until she came upon the rim of the cat mask he wore. When he came to fetch her from the small village, he'd worn that same mask over his face as her parents explained to her what was happening. What was his name? She couldn't remember that, either.

The man slowed his pace, eventually coming to a stop. Soon Narumi found herself staring past the back of his head and at the large, intimidating looking gates before them. She clutched the fabric of the man's ANBU suit tightly in slight nervousness. She hadn't seen any other gates that big since the day her family moved from her first home, and original birthplace: Uzushiogakure, The Village Hidden among the Whirling Tides. Well, technically she had been to this village before ('Konoha', as she recalled.) while visiting her relative and her mother's old acquaintance, Kushina Uzumaki. Even if this was so, she still wasn't used to it, this being only her first time seeing the place after that trip so long ago.

Her silent reaction evidently caught the man's - Whose name still escaped her - attention. He glanced at her over his shoulder, and the intricate pattern of his mask came into view. "You awake now? Here we are."

The six year old shifted uneasily, her long crimson hair swaying along with her movements. She looked away from the gates, as if it presented to her a blinding light that was painful to look at. "Neko-san? Can I get down now, please?" She mumbled uncertainly, calling him 'cat' since she still couldn't remember his name, or if he had even told her what it was.

'Neko-san' chuckled lightly, "Want down, huh? Okay." The dark-haired ANBU member knelt to the dirt and waited for her to slide off his back. "It's Kizu, by the way." He ruffled her hair when she was on her feet, and her lips curled slightly upwards in response as she placed both hands over top of her head. "Kizu-san." She repeated. She watched him nod before looking forward into the village that stood before them.

Narumi's also took a peek at the village beyond the massive gates: It was a colorful place, no doubt. The street was occupied, dotted with numerous people that were common folk and shinobi alike. The buildings were close together, and the roof's of the buildings were shades of blue, red, and green. Off in the distance, there were large faces carved in to the stone, with two of whom she vaguely recognized. Konoha gave off a peaceful, welcoming air to it. Although she'd seen the place before, she was still fairly uncomfortable just suddenly being there again. She didn't quite understand why she was brought here, even if the reason had been explained to her a few times.

_"__You will guard the vessel of the Nine-Tailed Fox..." _ Her fair-skinned mother's words echoed in her mind. The child distinctly remembered her unusually sharp, golden eyes looking down at her with a veil of sadness that she did not convey in her words. Her father had interjected with a slight frown, repeating his partner's words in a much more simpler context.

_"What she means, Na-mi, is that you're going to take care of a very special baby." _ The maroon-haired man spoke to her, the frown was quickly replaced with a smile, as he always did when he was speaking to her, or any other child. _"Do you understand?"_

The redheaded girl had simply nodded, then quickly said her goodbyes before turning to leave with the masked stranger. She'd stubbornly held back tears, for fear that Kizu or her parents would see and suddenly think her weak or unwilling to do what they asked, or more of the child than they thought her to be. _I want mommy and papa to not fight anymore._ She thought to herself, quickening her pace so she trotted alongside the ANBU, away from her home and family for how long, she didn't know.

Kizu's voice brought her back to reality, "Hey, you in there?" When Narumi blinked up at him in reply, she heard him chuckle. "I asked if you wanted to see the baby your parents were talking about, the one you'll be taking care of?"

She stared at him blankly until his words registered, and eventually her face lit up with excitement. "Yeah!" She abruptly put her hands over her mouth, blushing as if she'd said something very embarrassing. "I mean, yes please."

The emotionless cat mask didn't hide the laughter he emitted, and he stepped through the gates. "Let's head in, then. He's with the Third Hokage, they're both waiting for us."

A childlike smile spread across Narumi's face as she nodded and easily followed the ANBU through the village.

_Narumi _~.~.~ _Hiruzen Sarutobi_

Just outside the Konoha hospital, stood an old man by the name of Hiruzen Sarutobi. He wore the traditional white robes and hat of the highest title in the village; Hokage. There he stood patiently, waiting with his hands behind his back as he looked forward down the streets of his village.

He hadn't been waiting long; in fact, he expected that whoever he was waiting for would come soon. This was why he wanted to wait outside instead of in the hospital room like he intended. As dark orbs gazed ahead, he spotted a flash of red among the wandering villagers on the street, making its way toward him with a masked ANBU.

As they approached, the ANBU bowed his head respectfully, "Here she is, hokage-sama. Safe and sound."

"Yes, thank you Kizu." Hiruzen nodded in response, "You've done well. Youl are dismissed."

He nodded a thank you and waved to Narumi with a brief "See ya, kid.", before suddenly disappearing from sight. The hokage turned his attention to the young redheaded girl. His eyes lingered on her quietly for a moment; The child was very young indeed, and she had an obvious essence of innocence and obliviousness about her. "Hello, Narumi." He spoke to her with a much softer tone, "Welcome back to Konoha."

The six year old looked up at him with reluctance in her eyes, but a friendly smile on her face. "Hello, hokage-sama." It was clear she was confused, and a tad bit nervous. He watched as she played with a strand of her long, ankle length hair.

"Would you like to see him?" The third asked, looking down at her with a small smile.

She nodded enthusiastically as her face beamed.

"Follow me, then." He chuckled, turning and starting into the building with the girl trotting along close behind.

He led her to a hospital room from which the loud wailing of a baby came. He opened the door, frowning when the crying suddenly became louder as he did so. He stepped inside the bare room and made his way to the bed, stopping and looking over his shoulder when he heard no footsteps follow. "Come in. There's no need to be shy." He flinched slightly as the little blonde's crying worsened. "How do you stop a child from crying.."

Narumi blinked, apprehensively walking into the room and towards the infant. She looked up at the old man curiously, "Is this.. Naruto?"

"Yes, that's him." He nodded, letting out a long sigh of frustration.

He observed silently as she turned her attention to Naruto, tilting her head slightly and reaching her hand into the crib. "Don't cry, Naruto.." She said softly, "I won't hurt you.."

She stroked his hair and, to Hiruzen's surprise, the baby quieted down somewhat. She giggled, "He's cute, can I- I mean, may I pick him up?"

The white-robed man eyed her for a moment, before chuckling lightly. "Of course. But be careful."

"Yes sir." The red-haired girl's eyes brightened, and she slowly and carefully took the child out of the crib. She stared down at the whiskered infant, smiling widely. "Hi.~"

Big blue eyes returned her gaze, his crying had ceased completely by that point, and the boy let out a giggle. His hand went up to her hair, slowly running his fingers through the long strand.

Hiruzen stood by idly and watched the two enjoy each other's company.

The corners of his lips showed the hint of a smile; he was very supportive of the decision to grant Naruto a guardian. The boy would need it, since both of his parents were not going to be around to help him through the difficulties of being the host of the Nine-Tales. The Konoha Council, made up of his former teammates Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado, thought her only a pawn. Simply filling in an important role for the greater good of the Village Hidden in the Leaves, and all its inhabitants. But the third hokage thought otherwise- Perhaps Narumi needed the boy as well. _'I will find out in due time.'_ He thought to himself, looking at the two laugh together.

"Where's Mina-nii and Shina-chan?" Her voice invaded his thoughts, and he looked at her confusedly for a moment. Ah, yes. Those had been her nicknames for Minato and Kushina.

He'd forgotten that she had grown fond of the two during her brief stay a year or two ago. A veil ghosted itself over his aged face when he recalled what had become of them on that fateful October night, and he suddenly hated that this child had to endure the trials of a real parent at her tender age of 6. He stared at her and suddenly realized he had not answered her question. Shaking his head to rid his mind of those morbid thoughts, he took a deep breath and tried to formulate an word, a sentence, any kind of explanation for the little child.

"They're.. Not here anymore, Narumi." He couldn't find any other easier way to say it. "They're gone." There was silence in the air as she processed the information, and he silently dismissed the thought that went through his mind. _No,_ He thought, _There is no such thing as an easy explanation for death._

He saw her nod slightly, "Oh.." She lowered her head to look at the child in her arms again, somewhat solemnly this time. The tiny blonde cocked his head at her questioningly, placing a hand on her cheek and grinning a toothless grin.

He breathed a sigh. "Since they are not here, will you take care of Naruto, Narumi?" The Third asked, looking at her expectantly, asking her the question even though really, she had no choice.

Silence again. He watched her solemn expression shift into a smile, and a giggle emitted from her as she rested a hand on top of Naruto's. Narumi looked up at him determinedly, nodding.

"Yeah!" Her eyes twinkled with newly sparked confidence that seemed to come from no where at all, before she paused and repeated herself. "I mean, yes sir! I'll take care of him."

A smile appeared on the hokage's face, he found it amusing that she constantly corrected herself so she spoke politely, "Do you swear?"

"I swear!" She nodded again, turning her attention to the whiskered boy again and nuzzling him playfully, "Always~!"

Hiruzen chuckled, knowing full well she really _would_ have to take care of the boy. Always.

~.~.~

End Chapter 1


	2. Chapter 2

**Alright, so this chapter takes place 5 years after Narumi arrives in Konoha. C: At this point, she lives in the local orphanage with Naruto and regularly attends classes at the Academy. I hope you're enjoying this so far! :D**

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, or anything in it's universe. If I did, there would be some major changes xD

...

Chapter 2: Meeting

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_~~~ Narumi_

_._

"Nee-chan! Nee-chan, wake up!"

A high, childish voice rung in the ears of an eleven year old girl, and she groaned sluggishly, not making any effort to move.

"Nee-chan? C'mon, I know you're awake!"

She rolled onto her side with her back facing the blonde haired boy she knew was at the side of the bed. Deep red locks of hair fell over her face, covering the faint smile that came over the girl's lips. She loved waking up to the sound of her beloved younger brother's voice. To her, he was like an adorable little angel that was eager for her to wake up and start the day. Which was odd, since he was being rather _loud_.

_"Nee-chan!" _

Deciding to give the poor child a break, Narumi lazily pushed her self into a sitting position, yawning to prevent the youngster from seeing her grin. "I'm up, I'm up." She smiled, looking down at the irritated looking whisker-faced five year old. His spiky blonde hair was messy, and his arms were folded over his pale, cream colored shirt in agitation. Bright blue eyes returned her gaze with an unwavering steadiness that reminded her of his father, the late Fourth Hokage. She mentally pushed her thoughts from the subject, returning herself to the present when a sudden realization came to mind. "Naruto? Why are you awake?"

"You gotta get up!" He pouted, letting an arm fall to the side while his stubby little finger pointed to the clock on the bare wall. "Aren't you gonna be late?"

"Huh?" The red-haired girl's brows furrowed the slightest, and her eyes followed the direction of his finger. After a few moments, she let out a small gasp and threw her blanket to the far side of the bed, scrambling off the bed to get to her dresser. No wonder he was up earlier than she was- She'd slept in!

All in a rush, the girl zoomed from one place in the room to another, grabbing numerous things she needed while she hurriedly spoke to the younger boy. "Have you eaten?" and "Will you be okay while I'm gone?" were only a couple of the questions she blurted out as she got ready.

Naruto rolled his eyes, "Yeah, yeah! I've done all o' those!" He said in a slightly whiny tone, shooing her into the rickety hall of the orphanage. "C'mon, nee-chan! You gotta go!"

She laughed, stopping herself in the middle of the narrow hallway and turning to him. "Calm down, do you really not want me here?" She asked jokingly, ignoring the slight pang of hurt she felt when she spoke.

"No!" The blue-eyed jinchuriki instantly grabbed the cloth of her pale gold kimono-like shirt, shaking his head vigorously so his hair swished back and forth with it. "I want you to go so you can come home faster.." He mumbled. He frowned deeply at her as if to scold her for thinking that way.

Narumi blinked, lapsing into a somewhat relieved smile afterwards. "Okay, I will then." She bent down to kiss his forehead, ruffling his already messy spiked hair. "I'll be off!" She waved briefly before spinning on her heel and making her way down the hall. As she went along, saying her usual morning greeting to the other children and the adults in the orphanage, vague, quiet voices whispered to her from the back of her mind.

_Just another day of classes, _They said to her, lowly but clearly, _And then you'll be back to him. Back to the child you've sworn to protect._

_It's just another day._

_~.~_

Narumi sighed in relief upon sitting down in her seat. Luckily, she hadn't slept in _too _late, so she was able to arrive on time with a few extra minutes to spare. She looked around in boredom, habitually taking a strand of her unusually long hair and twirling it around with her fingers. She wondered silently to herself what there was to do with the little time she had between now and the start of class. Perhaps she could take a try at naming each one of her classmates - To herself, of course - before class session began. She nodded, granting herself permission and beginning to pick out her fellow students one by one. The young girl was able to recall most of her classmates' names, until her eyes rested on two unfamiliar looking blondes at the entrance of the classroom.

Her brows raised, it was rare for new students to appear, especially out of the blue. It was strange, she thought, that there would be kids arriving in the middle of the school year. She shrugged it off, fixing her attention on the boys at the door.

They looked different, yet the same. Siblings, she assumed. Both had blonde hair and blue eyes, only they were in different shades. One was obviously taller than the other. He stood a little hunched over, with his hands deep in his sweater pockets, so Narumi made an assumption that he was introverted and didn't like to speak. The air about the boy seemed cold, calculating as well as somewhat.. Lonely.

His hair was noticeably spiky. _But not as wild as Naruto's. _She noted, smiling to herself before continuing her observation. The taller one definitely had a brighter shade of blonde hair than his companion, who had a neater version of his hair, only paler. He wore a pale blue sweater that seemed to weigh him down, and slate grey shorts with a chain linking a belt strap to an object that lay inside his pocket. Before Narumi could wonder what it was, she caught a glimpse of a symbol imprinted in dark red on the back of his sweater.

It was unique looking: In the center was a medium sized circle, and to the sides of it were what looked like brackets. A smaller one and a larger one were spaced out evenly on both sides. Above and below the center dot, were two tiny ones. Her head cocked to the side, intrigued by what the symbol could possibly have represented. She shook the curiosity out of her mind; She could find that out later. So, she went on and continued to observe him, and the next thing that caught her attention were his eyes.

His eyes were narrower, sharper than the other pair she saw. The resemblance was subtle, but she thought his eyes were like her mothers, except his were an ultramarine blue. The eyes of a hawk, able to see anything and everything in its surroundings. The boy turned his head, and for a split second, their eyes met and locked in a stare. The girl froze. But as soon as it happened, the blonde looked away again, disinterested. _Yes, _Narumi thought, letting out the breath she only now realized she was holding in. _His eyes are sort of like hers._

She bit her lower lip when she felt her cheeks heat up with the embarrassment of being caught. So instead of risking another look at the older sibling, she turned her attention to the younger one. The atmosphere around him was completely different from the one that lingered around his brother, this one seemed to be happier, bouncier- Very energetic. His head of pale blonde hair was neatly kept, with the exception of the ends of his hair that curled outwards. His big, round childlike eyes were the color of a clear blue sky, and the sparkle in them seemed to radiate off of him. His clothing consisted of a pastel red shirt with a long sleeved white shirt underneath, as well as short that were similar to his brother's, but in a darker hue. He too bore the odd looking symbol on his clothes..Only his was smaller, and located on his left shoulder embedded in navy blue inside a diamond shaped hole on red his over-shirt.

Before the redhead could think any more, she found that the boy she'd been looking at came over to her desk. He had a wide smile on his face and his hands were behind his back as he looked upon the girl sitting before him. His mouth opened and out came the simplest of greetings, "Hi!"

Narumi blinked in surprise, glancing around to see if there was anyone else he could be talking to before turning back to him. He was speaking to her? "Hello.." She smiled back awkwardly, she didn't know that new students could be so outright social on their first day.

"Mind if I sit beside you?" He motioned to the empty seat beside her, the smile never fading from his face. "I don't really like sitting in the back, it's kinda dusty."

"Uh.." Her green orbs eyed the seat he wanted, going back to him afterwards in reluctance. He was a peculiar boy, she thought, not like others she knew. She scooted over to make room and shook her head, "Go ahead, I don't mind."

"Great!" His smile transformed into a grin, and she watched as he took his seat beside her. He shifted so that he was angled towards her, raising a hand in her direction. "I'm Kichiro Amamizu. " His head tilted to the side as he continued to look at her. "What's your name?"

She stared at his hand in a dumbfounded fashion, lifting hers to meet it in an odd handshake. "Narumi M-" She paused, correcting and silently scolding herself for almost getting her own name wrong. She wasn't that person at the moment. "Narumi Uzumaki." She finally answered, smiling in hopes of covering her mistake, "My name is Narumi Uzumaki."

"Narumi.." Kichiro repeated, trailing off with an unexpected blank stare before his lips curled upwards again. "I like it! I'll remember that." The strangely charming blonde laughed a little, turning back to face the front. "I just moved here with my family. This is my very first day!" He said, enthusiasm engulfing the redhead's eardrums. "It's my brothers, too." He casually gestured to the narrow-eyed blonde who moved to sit in the farthest corner of the room, looking as gloomy as he did when he walked in.

So they were brothers, she thought. But if that were true, how come it looked like they stood clear of each other's path when they were at the door? She didn't see them speak to each other at all, either.

Questions rolled into her mind like waves. Why would he sit far away from his own brother? Shouldn't he be with Kichiro, sitting with the person to whom he was most familiar with until he met any new friends? Apparently not, since he appeared to be indifferent to Kichiro's absence.

Rather than burrowing her way into matters she knew she wasn't supposed to disturb during a first meeting, she decided to answer simply. "That's cool." She replied, folding her arms on the desk and leaning slightly. "So how do you like it here so far?"

"It's great!" He said instantaneously, and his mouth opened to talk further. But he was interrupted by another more grown up voice. "Alright, class. Let's get started!" Kichiro turned his head to the voice's owner with a questioning expression, and Narumi did the same.

Up front, standing in front of the forest green chalk board was Daikoku Funeno-sensei. He was a big man, with a round face and brown hair on his head that was covered by a bandanna-type forehead protector and a stubble of a goatee on his chin. The clothing he wore was standard for most of the higher level shinobi that Narumi had seen; It included a long sleeve navy blue shirt under a green flak jacket, complete with the scroll holders. His bottoms were an identical shade of blue to his undershirt, and he had the normal sandals on. Narumi always thought of him as a funny man, but also very kind and patient. She was always more than willing to listen to his lectures and explanations in class; They were always interesting.

As the class settled down, he took a step forward and spoke again. "Okay everyone, it seems we have some new students here. May I please ask them to stand up?" He smiled after a short pause. "You know who you are."

She felt the air move, so she knew that the blonde beside her was standing. Her eyes scanned across the room to the other sibling and saw that he too was on his feet, looking dejectedly at nothing in particular she could see.

Daikoku's voice sounded again, "These two young gentlemen are Kichiro and Kenichi Amamizu. They just arrived to Konoha, so please provide them with a warm welcome, since they will be staying here from now on." Narumi heard many mumbled yeses and okays in response, and saw her teacher's head nod in approval. "Well then. Now that that's done, we can get started with today's lesson. You may sit down now, boys."

So they sat. And thus, class began.

~.~.~.~

End Chapter 2


	3. Chapter 3

**Third Chapter! :D Hopefully this little academy arc will pass in the next few chapters, I need to get this moooving!**

Disclamer: I do not own Naruto.

...

Chapter 3: Never Lonely

_._

_~~~Narumi_

.

A light, cheery laughter emitted from a green-eyed eleven year old, who was amused by her new friend's demeanor and, well, by him in general. The outrageous blonde had begun to ask Narumi about the village, how the people were, and what types of things that went on there while Daikoku-sensei went on about his lectures. Normally, she'd sit and listen intently to the lesson, but Kichiro's eagerness to learn about Konoha made her smile, so she gladly answered all the questions she could as class was carried out. Neither of the newly acquainted companions knew what was happening, and were so focused on their conversation that they didn't realize that they had been called on.

"Narumi, Kichiro?" The chubby man standing by the board stared them down with an irritated frown, "I know it's exciting to meet a new friend and all, but would you please save the talk for _after_class?"

Narumi's head immediately turned in his direction, lowering her head a little with faintly pink cheeks "Sorry, sensei." She said, smiling bashfully.

Beside her, she heard Kichiro apologize as well, and Daikoku-sensei nodded, resuming class activities with their attention this time. "Okay, class. Like we discussed yesterday and the day before, shinobi should have at least one goal to move toward as motivation." Dark chocolate eyes followed up his words with a quick scan of the room to see if the kids were listening, continuing after doing so. "So I'd like each one of you to tell the class what your dream is for the future. We'll start from this side of the room - " He cut short his sentence when he spotted Kichiro's hand in the air. "Yes?"

The fiery-haired girl beside him glanced to the side, watching as he spoke with what seemed to be natural enthusiasm. "Um! I think my brother and I shouldn't have to participate in this."

Narumi knew she wasn't the only one startled, when their large sensei looked at him in bewilderment. "And why is that, Kichiro?" He asked, seeming more amused than annoyed at the boy's blunt statement.

Sky blue orbs steadily met those of deep brown, "Well, he and I just got here." He gestured to the other blonde at the end of the room, who has his arms crossed and was leaning against his seat in boredom. "We really just came to see what it's like first, and we might not be able to regularly come to school yet. And it's out first day, we have to settle in with our mom." He smiled, and there was a pause that indicated the class' slight surprise. Narumi heard a grunt come from the other sibling from across the room.

"..Alright then." Daikoku-sensei's head lowered in a short nod as a tiny smile overcame his lips, "You're exempt from this activity. Now, let's start.."

As the teacher went from one student to another, Narumi listened to the various goals and dreams that her classmates had. Some were enthusiastic and happy to oblige to tell the class what their goals were, while others were shy and timid about the subject, as if they were to be cruelly criticized. Some dreamed of achieving specific ranks, like ANBU or Jonin. Some wanted to become healers or medical researchers so that they could heal the sick and injured. Others yearned for the chance to go about the Five Great Countries and explore. A few even aimed for the title of Hokage, a dream Narumi had heard many times coming from the knuckle-headed Naruto back in the orphanage. She giggled to herself. She'd definitely help with that, she thought. She'd make sure that Naruto was well on his way to gaining that title, or hopefully gained it before the day she would have to leave Konoha.

_Leave Konoha.._

"Narumi." Before she knew it, she found her new classmate nudging her and sending a light whisper her way. "It's your turn, Narumi."

Green eyes gazed upon him in confusion for a moment, realizing everyone else's eyes on her the second after her realization and rising out of her seat. She laced her fingers together behind her back, blinking at her sensei who stood at the foot of the class.

"Well?" He offered her a warm smile, yet she somehow knew that he was beginning to get impatient. "Share your dream is to your classmates, Narumi."

She nodded, "Yes sir." She said, hesitating after speaking. What _was _her dream? Did she have one? The redhead had never really thought of it. She didn't have to because she had Naruto..

Narumi's face was set alight as an idea came to mind. A wide smile spread across her childish features and she took a deep breath. "My dream is to become strong," She started, welcoming the image of a whiskered boy into her mind. "To become strong so that I'll be able to protect the person who is most precious to me."

Silence filled the air of the room, which made panic flutter faintly in her stomach. Why were they so quiet? She looked around at her classmates, some were whispering lowly in each other's ears as the rest stared. She bit her lip, unsure how to react under the sudden pressure of all their stares. The young girl stirred in place, uncomfortable with the almost denouncing quiet of the class. Had she said something wrong?

As soon as the question came, she had already thought of the answer. Her eyes lowered when she comprehended everything. Of course they were quiet, they _knew _who she was talking about. They knew that Narumi had stuck by Naruto since she was a child. They knew that they were placed in the same orphanage and were aware of their closeness. But all they knew about _him _was that he was the demon Nine-Tailed fox that attacked the village years ago. They thought he was the very beast that had taken away the lives of so many, and left the living vengeful.

That saddened her; They just didn't understand, she thought. She was afraid that no one ever would.

Her laced fingers tightened. Her whole body was tensed by the situation, and she desperately wished for everything to just disappear.

Luckily, the school bell rang loudly and pierced through the room, startling most of the others including herself. The silence was broken and the kids stood to make leave, rushing out the door with their friends like a school of fish. All that was left of the class were Narumi, Kichiro, and the teacher. Kenichi, her new found friend's brother, appeared to be leaning against the door frame of the entrance, waiting for the other blonde.

Kichiro rose from his seat, looking around with a baffled expression. "That was weird," He frowned and turned to Narumi, who still had her eyes to the ground. "Why'd everyone go silent like that?"

She raised her head to look at him, providing him with a small smile. "Nothing, you'll find out soon enough." She stepped into the isle and trotted to the door, waving to him briefly. "I'll see you soon, Kichiro Amamizu!"

With that, she hurried past the taller blonde at the door and headed home, swearing she felt his eyes on her as she made her way down the path.

~.~

A few months passed, and the previous event of the goal assignment had faded quickly from the minds of the students because of the upcoming graduation test. Kids were scrambling to practice jutsus and learn any they were too lazy to learn before. Students were always very eager for these tests; They wanted to become shinobi as soon as possible.

Narumi, on the other hand, really didn't mind when she became a shinobi. But she compelled herself to do her best to graduate early, so she could get closer to the goal she'd stated a few months before. Doubt lingered in her mind about taking the test the next day. She never really felt ready for tests when they came, and thus was hesitant to take this one in case she wasn't able to pass. But she still tried her best to soak up Daikoku-sensei's words like a sponge as he ranted on and on about the importance of jutsu in their world of survival. About thirty minutes or so into the lecture, her attention began to linger elsewhere.

Her eyes trailed across the class to the isolated, sharp-eyed Kenichi. He was as alone as ever, refusing to say a word to anyone unless he absolutely had to. At one point, one of her more rude classmates had classified him as 'mute' and 'stupid'. He'd immediately stood and pinned the poor boy against the wall, yelling curses at his face before knocking him to the floor. Kenichi was later sent out and given a talking to by their sensei, with no sign of regret or guilt on his cold looking face.

What really confused her, though, was how little he and Kichiro had interacted during their short time in the academy. She noticed that they barely talked or went near each other. In fact, it seemed like they both deliberately _avoided _each other, which Narumi couldn't understand at all. They were brothers, shouldn't they be close? Whenever Narumi asked Kichiro about it, he always brushed it off and made a quick subject change.

And she obviously couldn't turn to his brother for an answer.

On the edge of that thought, she shifted her gaze to the boy beside her. The ever so talkative Kichiro was chatting away with the student sitting in front of him, with the usual spark of excitement in his eyes and voice. Within a few months, he was nearly the top of the class. He knew most of the answers to questions and, if he got one wrong, he would laugh and accept it simply as it was.

She watched him talk to their classmate and smiled, he'd also become quite the social butterfly in such a short period of time. By now, he was friends with nearly the whole class and knew a few things about each of them. It still perplexed her as to how he could so easily interact with the other children as if he'd known them his entire life.

And, for a reason she didn't understand, she was relieved of that quality he possessed. If it hadn't been there, she wouldn't have become good friends with him like she did.

_You would be lonely again_. A lone voice uttered to her silently, echoing in the back of her mind.

Narumi frowned and quickly cast the thought away. She was never lonely, she told herself. She had Naruto.

_You won't have him forever.._

She shook her head, attempting to rid herself of that horrible but undeniable fact. Instead, she turned her attention back to the lesson, subconsciously biting her lip. She didn't notice Kichiro's wondering gaze on her until he spoke.

"Hey, Narumi?" She jumped at the sound of his voice, reacting with a simple blink. He rested his cheek on the palm of his hand and was staring at her almost worriedly, "You okay?"

She hoped her previous expression was veiled enough for him to believe her, "Yeah! Yeah, I'm fine.." She trailed off, soon realizing her attempt had failed when he smiled sympathetically.

"Is Naruto okay?" He asked plainly. This too, made Narumi wonder about him. He so smoothly talked about Naruto as if he honestly didn't know about the rumors of what he was, which he did know. He didn't awkwardly veer around the subject as if Naruto were a disease that couldn't be treated. Nor did Kichiro seem to mind that she was close to the so called 'monster'.

The redhead nodded reluctantly as an answer, she didn't exactly understand why he asked that particular question. "Er, yes.. Why do you ask?"

He shrugged, "I dunno, I just had a feeling it had something to do with him." His smile went back to normal then, "Well! If it's nothin', then nevermind.~" He replied in a singsong voice. "I guess it's the test you're worried about.. But don't worry! You'll definitely pass, Narumi."

She blinked, letting out an unanticipated giggle. He was off, but she went along with it anyway. "O-kay.~ Thanks." She went back to watching Daikoku-sensei's motions, and half-listening to what he was talking about. For some reason, she had a feeling that the next day would be good. Maybe she really would pass the graduation test.

Just maybe, though.

~.~.~.~

End Chapter 3


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